Bill Gimson, CPRIT’s executive director since 2009, submitted his resignation last week to the agency’s board. He offered to stay on until January. But he emptied his office Friday and is not in today, said agency spokeswoman Ellen Read.

Since October, the agency has lost two other top executives. A new chief scientific officer has been hired, but doesn’t start work until January. Asked who is running the agency, Read said other senior staff members are still in place. Applications for funding are still being accepted and reviewed, she said.

Gimson has not responded to a request for an interview.

The agency came under fire last month after announcing it had awarded $11 million to a Dallas biotechnology company without properly reviewing the company’s request for money. The agency says emails surrounding the 2010 decision to award the grant, to Peloton Therapeutics, are no longer available. The state’s attorney general and the Travis County district attorney’s office have each opened investigations.

The agency’s oversight board meets on Friday. Its agenda contains only brief descriptions of items up for discussion – the position held by Gimson, and “consultation with attorney.”

CPRIT, approved by Texas voters in 2007, is authorized to spend up to $3 billion over 10 years to fight cancer. The agency funds cancer prevention, university research and companies trying to bring treatments to market.